


Her Lovers Drift by in Their Coats

by okayokayigive



Series: And So I Leave You [1]
Category: Doctor Who (2005), Pretty In Pink (1986), Some Kind of Wonderful (1987)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-16
Updated: 2013-04-16
Packaged: 2017-12-08 17:07:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/763878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/okayokayigive/pseuds/okayokayigive
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose Tyler dreams of impossible adventures, of something greater than what she is. Her best friend, the Doctor? Well, he dreams of Rose. This is the story of Donna’s wedding, and how that one event changes the lives of Rose, the Doctor, and the people around them. Or maybe it’s just a soppy romantic John Hughes movie human AU. Yep. Probably that one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> John Hughes told great stories. This is very, very loosely based on two of my favorites: _Pretty in Pink_ and _Some Kind of Wonderful_ …which, you may recall, have two very different endings. (*evil grin*) This fic hits my Human AU square for Trope Bingo. Also, my first multi-part fic! Woo!

Everyone knows Donna Noble. (Or, perhaps more accurately, Donna Noble knows everyone.) In fact, sometimes it seems like everything just centers on her. Not in a bad way, mind - for all her sass and bluster, Donna never expects anything from the world.

Donna Noble, taking care of the entire universe, one person at a time. Everyone knows her. Everyone loves her. And so everyone will be celebrating with her at the wedding.

—

No one knows Rose Tyler. There’s her mum, of course; a few friends from her school days. And sure, she meets people at The Earth, the local all-purpose shop where she works the counter and stocks the shelves. It’s not that no one  _notices_  her, really - it’s that no one really  _knows_  Rose Tyler.

No one knows how she dreams of adventure, of something greater than what she is. How she sees the world a little differently, making connections and finding solutions like life is made of those little logic puzzles her gran was so fond of.

Rose looks at the stars and sees galaxies. She looks at the people around her and sees their potential for so much more. She looks at the dust in beams of sunlight and dreams of taking flight. She looks at her life and longs for a hand to hold.

But no one ever looks at Rose.

Except the Doctor, of course. But her best mate doesn’t really count.

—

Everyone knows  _of_  the Doctor.

They know his ridiculous clothes, his uncanny ability to trip on his own feet (or his own words) and land in a heap of trouble. They know that he does “geeky stuff” for a living (he’s an astrophysics grad student). They know his silly nickname, bestowed upon him by his best friend when they were kids - a nod to “that sci fi show you’re always on about”, she’d said, and it stuck. A sticky nickname from his decidedly-not-sticky Rose.

_His_ Rose.

Oh, he’s her best mate, alright, but while Rose dreams of adventures, the Doctor dreams of Rose. To him, she’s his constellation, his galaxy, his universe…and one of these days, he just might tell her so.

—

Rose stretched her neck and snuck a glance at the clock. Monday mornings were always slow at The Earth - no deliveries meant no new stock to put away, and weekday mornings were never prime customer time.

At the sound of the door chime, she looked, up, surprised.

“What, no more leather?” she asked with a smile. The Doctor stood just inside the doorway, his rumpled suit a stark contrast to the leather jacket-and-jeans look he’d been sporting for the past few weeks. (A dedicated follower of fashion he was not. A mercurial follower of his own trends, maybe.)

“Nah, I gave it back to John. New outlook, new look! This suits me much better, don’t you think? Love the coat. And the trainers!” He wiggled his foot in Rose’s direction before crossing the room and hopping up on the counter in front of her, knee bent and foot planted flat on the marred surface. “Look at the trainers, Rose! Ready for anything, me.”

She laughed and tugged on his tie, sliding her fingers beneath the silk to undo the top button. “That’s better.” Rose chewed on her lip and considered him, head tilted in thought. “No, wait,” she said, reaching up to muss his hair. “There you go. Perfect.”

“Far, far better than the ruffled shirt, or those striped pants and cricket vest you were so fond of.”

“Oi! You said you liked the celery!”

With a playful but firm nudge, Rose pushed the Doctor from the counter. “How about you put that new outlook to work and make us some tea, eh?” The Doctor disappeared into the tiny back room just as the front door chimed again, signaling the arrival of a customer. Perhaps, thought Rose, this day wouldn't turn out to be boring after all.


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Rose meets a new friend...and the Doctor throws a fit.

The new customer seemed to be a disinterested browser, so Rose busied herself with tidying her work area, letting her mind wander to the topic of Donna’s upcoming wedding. She hated to go alone, but knew that Donna would be positively heartbroken if she tried to skip out. “Suck it up, Rose,” she mumbled to herself. “Donna’s a friend, and she’d do anything for you - the least you can do is show up for her big day.”

“You know, in my experience, arguing with oneself isn’t very effective.”

Rose looked up, startled by the intrusion…and found herself staring into a pair of bright blue eyes.

“It’s better with two, you know?” the voice said, cheekily.

“Excuse me?”

“Arguing. It’s better with two. The making up’s not half bad either.”

Rose blushed furiously before pulling herself out of the depths of those eyes and back into the real world. “I’m sorry, can I help you with something?”

The man nodded at the basket on the counter with a sly smile. “I was hoping to buy a few things, but now I’m much more interested in what’s behind the counter.”

“Rose, have I ever told you how wonderful tea is? Not just a tasty beverage, this - it’s full of tannins and free radica—” The Doctor trailed off mid-babble, frozen in place by the scene playing out in front of him.

Rose completed the transaction, completely oblivious to the Doctor’s presence. “Thank you for your business, Mr. …Harkness,” she said, glancing at the name on the credit card as she returned it to its owner.

“Please, call me Jack,” he whispered, gently guiding her hand to his mouth for a kiss. “And thank  _you_. I don’t know that I’ve ever enjoyed a shopping experience more.”

With a wide grin, a flirtatious wink, and a swish of his long blue coat, Jack Harkness turned and walked out the door of The Earth.

“Friend of yours?”

Rose jumped, startled out of her reverie by the Doctor’s clipped tone, and waved her hands dismissively. “Just a customer. I don’t know him or anything.” Her eyes followed the path Jack had taken down the sidewalk, betraying her indifferent tone.

“That?” snapped the Doctor, slamming two mugs of tea on the counter, “is Jack Harkness. World-class flirt and seducer of women. Well, humans. Well, anything he can get his hands on, really - or at least that’s the rumor. Billionaire. Playboy. Philanthropist. Wait, no. That’s Tony Stark. Anyway - Jack Harkness doesn’t just  _run_  with the rich and the beautiful - he  _is_  the rich and the beautiful. He’s fire, Rose. Watch that you don’t get yourself burned.”

Finished with his outburst, the Doctor stormed out of the little shop, leaving Rose wide-eyed and confused in his wake.

—

“I’m telling you, Donna, he was all…eyes and teeth and charm. Oh, those eyes. Just gorgeous. Made me feel like I was the only person on the planet.” Rose sighed and turned to face her friend, who was fussing with the contents of her closet.

“Blue or purple, do you think?”

“The purple. It suits you.”

“Purple it is then. So…did you get his number? Did you give him yours? Is your diary about to be filled with fancy restaurants and kisses under the stars?”

Rose let out a groan and flopped backwards onto the bed. “No. He kissed my hand, said goodbye, and just…walked out.”

“He’ll be at the wedding, of course. Would you like me to mess with the seating arrangement? Make sure you’re sharing a chair, perhaps?”

“Donna!” Rose yelled, embarrassed.

“Look, Rose. I know Jack. He’s not a bad guy. If you need the nudge - especially since I know you’re worried about coming solo - I’m happy to do what I can.”

“Being  _set up_  at a wedding is worse than going alone, Donna.”

“Well, if you’re so desperate for a date, what about the Doctor? I know he’s a skinny streak of nothing, but he looks at you like you hung the stars. Cleans up nice, too, now that he’s not all weighted down in dark colors and stompy boots.”

“We’re just friends, Donna. Besides, I want a  _proper_  date, yanno? And anyway, don’t you need to be off now? It is  _your_  hen night, after all. You shouldn’t be late.”

Donna nodded, slipping into her shoes and grabbing her bag. “Are you sure you don’t want to come along, hon? Forget your troubles, just for the evening? It’ll do you a world of good.”

“Thanks, but I’ve got some things to catch up on. See you tomorrow, yeah?”

—

Donna was halfway to the pub when her phone buzzed with an incoming call. “Oi. Spaceman. I’m on my way to a party  _in my honor_ , so make it quick.”

“Donna. I was…I was wondering if…that is…did Rose talk to you? Because I think she’s in trouble. Or, well, could be in trouble. She met Jack Harkness, Donna. Jack Harkness! And there was flirting. And the way they looked at each other…trouble, I tell you! She deserves better than some…walking innuendo. She’s too good for him and his broad-smiling, womanizing ways.”

Donna sighed, moved out of the flow of pedestrian traffic, and leaned against the nearest building, ready to give the Doctor her full attention. “Look, Doctor. Jack’s not such a bad guy. He’s a flirt, sure, but this is the first time I’ve seen Rose interested in someone in a very long time. She deserves some happiness - and if she thinks she might find that with Jack? I’m not going to stop her.”

The Doctor sputtered. “But Donna! That crowd he runs with will rip Rose to shreds. She’s not posh enough for their standards, and you know it. He’ll drag her into that wolf’s den and she’ll never be the same. How can you let her near that? Near him? You’ve got to warn her off, Donna. She listens to you!”

“Doctor,” she began, in the calmest, gentlest ‘big sister’ voice she could muster, “Rose can take care of herself. And it’s not your job, or mine, to keep her safe from every potential outcome. Besides, this isn’t about her. And it’s not about Jack. It’s about you. You’re in love with her, aren’t you?”

A noise not unlike a deflating balloon screeched through the other end of the line. “What? No! I don’t! I mean, I just…I…not like that, Donna. Not like you mean.”

Chuckling softly to herself, she shrugged in the direction of her phone. “Whatever you say, Spaceman. Now. I’ve got to get to the pub. You want to come along, maybe drown your sorrows in some karaoke?”

“KARAOKE?!”


	3. Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack returns and brings along a few friends...and the Doctor picks up the pieces.

The next day, Rose was surprised (but certainly pleased) when the door chime announced the presence of one Jack Harkness…and crew. Okay, the ‘crew’ part was unexpected, but she was happy to see Jack again nonetheless.

“Hey, Rose. My buddy Owen here needed to pick up a few things,” he said, nodding to the slightly weasely man on his left, “and I told him I knew the best shop around. I understand you already know Martha?”

Martha and Rose exchanged polite greetings - they’d known each other in school but were never really friends. “Owen, say hello to the lady,” Jack prompted. Owen gave Rose a sidelong glance and mumbled impatiently. “Yeah. Whatever. Let’s just get what we came for and get out of here, okay?”

Jack shot Rose an apologetic smile and headed off to show Owen around, while Martha excused herself to use the loo. “Back in a tick, yeah? You boys stay out of trouble while I’m gone.”

As Martha headed for the back of the store, Jack’s phone buzzed loudly. Rose watched as he tapped the Bluetooth earpiece he wore, offered a friendly greeting, and stepped outside to continue the call. She was so engrossed in watching him pace outside the shop window that she didn’t notice Owen making his way around to her side of the counter.

“You’re a pretty little thing, aren’t you?,” Owen breathed, stepping into Rose’s personal space. “I understand why Jack’s so taken with you. His sweet little project, pulled out of the gutters for a good time, a fancy dress, and a good shag.” Rose made to step back, but he caught her around her waist and pulled her close enough to whisper in her ear. “I know your type. Girls like you are always ripe and ready. I look forward to having my way with you once Jack’s had his fill. What do you say to letting me jump ahead in the queue a bit, sweetheart?”

Rose pulled her head back and twisted it slightly so that she could look him straight in the eye. “I don’t know who or what you think you are, but you disgust me. I wouldn’t waste a breath on slime like you. Now let me go.”

“A cheap, dirty slag like you? What are you going to do about it, eh? Run and tell your mummy? Get the boss to put up a camera so you don’t have to worry about working those late nights alone? No, there’s no money for cameras to keep you safe. In fact, I’d bet that this little shithole - who calls a place like this ‘The Earth’, anyway? - is barely getting by. And you know what? I bet if something went missing, if something were to break - your boss wouldn’t be very pleased with you, would he?” Keeping one hand on Rose’s waist, Owen reached up to the shelf behind the register where the high-end liquor bottles were kept, grabbing the first bottle he came to and smashing it at her feet.

“Oops!” Rose flinched as cool liquid and shards of glass splashed her bare ankles. “What, you don’t like that? Am I hurting your precious little shop?” Another bottle hit the ground, followed by three more. The strong smell of alcohol filled her nose, pushing past Rose’s fear and springing her into action. In a flash, she brought her knee up to slam into Owen’s groin and shoved him away. His weight and the momentum of her actions carried him into a free-standing shelf of books and baubles and sent it crashing to the floor as he stumbled away.

The commotion brought Martha and Jack running, a chorus of “Owen! What the hell are you doing?” and “what the hell, man?” echoing through the small shop. Between the damaged shop, the look of terror and anger on Rose’s face, and his friend’s less than savory reputation, it only took a moment for Jack to get a feel for what had happened. He shot a glance at Martha, silently willing her to take care of Rose, and dragged Owen out the door by his collar.

“Rose! Rose - are you…”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine. Just get him out of here, yeah?”

—

Martha had only been gone a minute or two - just long enough for Rose to dry her eyes and begin the process of cleaning up - when the Doctor arrived, bearing chips and a silly grin. He dropped both in the doorway, however, as his eyes took in the scene in front of him. Broken glass, damaged displays…and an obviously shaken Rose. He didn’t say a word as he ran to her, gently removing the broom from her hand and gathering her into a hug.

“I didn’t even care what he said about me, you know?” The Doctor nodded, allowing her to say what she needed to say, even if it meant she was starting in the middle. “I’ve heard it all before. I know where I’m from, what they say about me. But he started threatening my job, the shop…I couldn’t let him do that to this place, you know? It’s home, in a way. I couldn’t let him…” her words trailed off as tears began to flow.

“Rose Tyler,” he said, squeezing her tight. “Defender of the Earth. C’mon. I’ll help you tidy up.”

—

Much later that evening, Rose was relaxing in bed when her phone rang. She didn’t recognize the number, and hesitated due to her confrontation with Owen…but the Doctor had called more than once in recent memory from strange and unusual locations, so she figured she’d better answer in case he was in trouble. Again.

“Rose? It’s Jack. Jack Harkness. I hope you don’t mind, but I got your number from Donna. She made me beg, you know. Anyway, I just wanted to apologize for Owen’s behavior today. He was…well, it was inappropriate and a hundred different kinds of wrong. I’m sorry I brought him into your world, into the Earth.” He took a deep breath and realized Rose hadn’t so much as acknowledged him. “Rose? Are you there? Hello?”

“Yeah. Sorry, Jack. I’m just a bit surprised, is all. It’s been quite the day.”

“I know, and I’m sorry. I really am. I’ve already been in touch with your boss and made arrangements to pay for all the damage Owen caused. I don’t know what he said to you, or what he may have done other than the property damage…but I’d like to make it up to you, if I can. I’d like to at least try.”

“Make it up to me?”

“Let me take you to dinner, Rose. Dinner, dancing, a night among the stars. Let me treat you how you should be treated. Please.”

Rose held back, uncertain. “I don’t know Jack. I don’t know that I want to spend time with someone who counts a bloke like Owen as a friend.”

Jack sighed. “I understand. I do. But I am  _not Owen_. I’m not. Let me prove it to you?”

After a long, silent moment, Rose cleared her throat and responded. “Okay. One night, Jack. In a public space. And I check in with Donna on the hour.”

“Done. Tomorrow? Pick you up at eight?”

“Fine. I’ll see you then.”

“Great. Oh, and Rose?”

“Yes, Jack?”

“Wear something that twirls.”

Rose disconnected the call and smiled. She was wary and planned to proceed with great caution…but she couldn’t get those blue eyes out of her mind. One night. Just one night. One night couldn’t hurt, right?


	4. Part 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happened on Rose and Jack's date? And what does the Doctor have to say about it?
> 
> _Some snippets of dialogue in this section have been borrowed from 'Some Kind of Wonderful'._

Rose woke to a banging on the door that rivaled the pounding in her head. Glancing at the clock, she groaned and pulled the covers over her head, determined to ignore the intrusion. When her phone rang a few moments later, she sneaked her hand out from under the duvet, scrabbled for the device, and answered without looking at the display. “Ungh.”

“Good morning to you too, sunshine!” rang Donna’s voice. “Get yourself out of bed and let me in. We had a deal.” Rose groaned and disconnected the call before wrapping herself in a sheet, stumbling to the door, and flipping open the lock. She barely had time to step back from the doorway before Donna burst through, thrusting a cup of coffee in Rose’s bleary face.

“Well? C’mon! Spill! I agreed to be ‘on call’, as you put it, while you enjoyed your evening with the dashing Mr. Harkness - but only if you agreed to tell me all about it in the morning. I’m an old married woman now - it’s all about living vicariously through you young feisty ones. It’s morning, Rose. Spill.”

“Nearly,” Rose mumbled around the rim of her coffee.

“What?”

“Nearly. You’re  _nearly_  married. Besides, Lee is a doll, and he treats you like you’re made of diamonds. You don’t need  _my_  love life when you’ve got someone like him.”

Donna smiled fondly at her engagement ring. “Yeah, he’s marvelous, isn’t he? Wait! No changing the subject!”

Rose sighed and sank into the sofa, her face slowly morphing from annoyed and sleepy into a blissful, cat-got-the-canary smile. “It was  _perfect_.”

Donna couldn’t help but glow with happiness for her friend as Rose recounted her evening. “An elegant dinner, dancing under the stars, and dessert at your favorite café? Sounds lovely, Rose. It really does. But what about the things you were so worried about? That twat Owen?”

“We talked a lot, Donna. He and Owen, they’ve been through so much together. Jack almost made it sound like they’d kept each other alive or somethin’. Jack’s had some rough times, and Owen did, too - when Owen’s wife died…she was so young, and he couldn’t help her. Just had to watch her waste away and die. It changed him, Jack said. It doesn’t excuse what Owen did to me. Not at all. But…I understand a little bit more why Jack and him are friends.”

“And Jack is  _nothing_  like Owen,” Rose continued. He’s sweet, and gentle, and caring…a real gentleman. He asked me about my family, my job, my dreams…and really  _listened_  - didn’t just stare at my chest like some other blokes I’ve been out with. Didn’t make a move at the end of the night, either. Walked me to the door, kissed me on the cheek, and said goodnight. I’ve never met someone like him before. I’ve never felt  _connected_  to someone like this before. I…I know it’s early, but I think I might really be falling for him.”

“And Donna?” Rose looked up, hope warring with hesitation in her eyes. “I know it’s last-minute and all, and your seating arrangement’s already done, but…Jack’s asked me to be his ‘plus one’ for the wedding. I know we’re both already attending, so I hope it doesn’t mess things up too badly for you - I’d just really like to spend the night with him.”

Donna smirked, causing Rose to blush. “The evening, I mean! At the wedding. Nothing more complicated than that. Not yet, anyway.”

“Of course, Rose. I hope your night is half as magical as mine will be.”

Donna left Rose to soak in her happy haze and straightened her shoulders as she reached her car. She could see trouble and heartbreak brewing - and not for Rose. Determined to let him down gently - or at least prevent a scene on her wedding day - Donna headed off to see the Doctor.

—-

Things with the Doctor were, well, complicated. “Doctor, I need you to understand. She’s  _happy_  with him, at least for now. I know you think he’s bad for her, but isn’t it possible, maybe just this once, that you’re  **wrong**?”

“How can you say that, Donna? Jack Harkness doesn’t know Rose, doesn’t care about her. Not like I…not like she deserves. Building something meaningful with Jack? That’s…that’s trying to jerk off the impossible, that is.”

“Meaningful?” interrupted Donna. “Doctor, who said anything about meaningful? It’s a string of dates, a bit of fun, a smile on her face - and then maybe something more. She’s not promising him forever, Doctor. Don’t you think you might be projecting, just a bit?”

“Projecti—” the Doctor made to interrupt, but she shushed him. “It’s a night at a wedding -  _my_  wedding, I might add - celebrating with friends and family. And that,” she poked him in the chest for emphasis, “includes  _you_. Don’t ruin this for her. Or me.”

The Doctor growled and grabbed his hair in frustration. “Donna, this isn’t about me. Or you. This is about Rose, and protecting her from that…that, _thing_. He’s  _wrong_ , Donna. I can sense it. He’s so damn full of himself, I’m surprised his head’s not bigger than the rest of him. How many times do I have to listen to myself say this? How many times? He’s going to hurt her, Donna. You just watch..”

The Doctor grabbed his coat and stormed out of his flat, slamming the door behind him. “Well,” Donna thought out loud, “that went well.”


	5. Part 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack confronts Owen, the Doctor confronts the world, and Jack and Rose meet up again…

“We need to talk.” Jack slid into a chair across the table from Owen with a deadly serious look on his face. “I need to know what happened with you and Rose.”

“What do you want me to say? She tried coming on to me, and I told her no. Bitch has quite the temper.”

Jack glared at Owen, disbelief plain on his face. “So what, you trashed the place to get her to leave you alone? You’re a strong guy, Owen. Don’t try to tell me you couldn’t just walk away.”

“Alright, so I lost my temper a bit when she kneed me in the balls. Wouldn’t you?”

“Anyway, you know how those Estate girls are,” Owen continued. “Always looking for a wallet to cling on to as they pull themselves up. The smart ones, like your Rose there, know how to use their god-given talents to get there.” Jack chuckled darkly as Owen mimed a woman’s curves in the air between them.

“But Rose isn’t like that. To start with, she didn’t come to me - I went to her.”

“And she saw her ticket to fancy dinners and a new life. The same thing she saw in me. Even offered to ‘move me up in her queue’ - seems the little slag was planning on this all along.”

“You remember Shareen? The one who bounced from Rhys to John to Harry and back again, collecting jewelry and dresses and ‘pocket money’ until she finally got herself up the duff and married off? Her and Rose go way back. Probably taught each other all the tricks.”

Jack rubbed his hands over his face, fighting off the sour feeling in his stomach - and a surprising amount of heartbreak - as Owen’s words sunk in.

“Look, you want to be pissed at someone? Go find your precious Rose. I’m done here.”

—-

While Jack confronted Owen, the Doctor was confronting his own demons - or at least that was the idea. For hours, he strode around the city, becoming more and more lost in his own thoughts. He was angry with Donna, furious with Jack…and hopelessly in love with Rose. He’d just decided to talk to Jack face to face, man to big-headed man, when he turned a corner and saw Owen straight ahead.

Suddenly, all the pain and hurt and loss and anger and frustration (at himself and the situation) turned to rage. The Doctor launched himself at Owen, screaming “you hurt her, you bloody bastard! No one hurts my Rose!”

His brain registered the look of surprise on Owen’s face, replaced almost immediately with a sneer. “I don’t know who you are, mate, but  **back off**.” He shoved the Doctor into the street and kept walking, determined not to waste energy on some nutter in a suit…but then something he’d said sank in. Owen stopped and turned on his heel.

“Wait.  _‘Your Rose’_? This is about that blonde, isn’t it? What are you, her _boyfriend_? An ex? The one left behind while she chases half of London, while she shags Jack and begs me for a little action on the side? She’s not worth it, kid.”

The Doctor drew himself up to his full height, feeling his spine click into place. “She is  _always_  worth it,” he spit through clenched teeth.

Fists. Jaws. Stomachs. Knees. The coppery taste of blood. The pain of impact, bone and muscle and flesh against flesh, against brick, against the cold, hard ground. Snippets of rage, of adrenaline, of pain, running through his mind like a movie montage - that’s all the Doctor saw before his world went black.

—-

Bright colors. Flashing lights. Loud, unfamiliar sounds.

It wasn’t Rose’s ideal way to spend an evening, but she wanted to clear her head, to come down from the Jack-shaped clouds where here head had taken up residence. So when Shareen rang, suggesting a girls’ night out, Rose jumped at the opportunity. An old friend, a few drinks, a night on the dance floor…and no thoughts of Jack.

That Jack. The one sitting at a table in the corner of the club, alone and staring into his drink like it held the answer to life, the universe, and everything. Mumbling something to Shareen about fate and opportunity, she shook out her shoulders, grabbed her drink, and set off for his table.

“What’s a guy like you doing in a place like this?” Rose smirked as she slid into the seat across from Jack. “I certainly didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Rose!” Jack sat back in surprise, yanking his hand away from where she was reaching for it. “Oh. Hi. What are you doing here?”

“Nice to see you too.” Rose straightened, taken aback by his brusqueness. “I’m here with my friend Shareen - we used to come here a lot, back in the day. Seemed like a good night to recapture some of our misspent youth. Just like old times, you know?”

Jack was too focused on the pit that had opened up in his stomach to notice the twinkle in her eye.  Rose and Shareen. In a club, together. Just like old times. Suddenly, everything Owen said came rushing back. Suddenly, it all made sense. Suddenly, Jack  _believed_.

He pushed back from the table and stood. “Look. This?” he waved between them, “Whatever  _this_  is? Whatever’s going on here? It’s not happening. Not now, not ever. Have fun recapturing that misspent youth, Rose. Just leave me out of it.”

With tears of confusion silently rolling down her face, Rose watched as Jack disappeared into the crowd, grabbing on to the first warm body he connected with and losing himself in the beat of the music. He shifted his dance partner closer, running his hands across the stranger’s body and pulling her up for a heated kiss.

—

Rose didn’t say goodnight to Shareen. She didn’t call her mum or Donna. She didn’t demand an explanation from Jack. Instead, she left the club and wandered in a haze, letting the brisk air clear her head and calm her down. What had happened, she wondered? What changed in Jack? And why did she care so much? Why was her heart shattering into a million tiny pieces? It was one date, after all. It’s not like she’d spent lifetimes loving him.

Eventually, she found herself back at her flat - and almost tripped over the body laid prone across her doorway. “Doctor? Doctor? Oh my god! What happened? Doctor?”

He opened a bruised and bloodied eye to look at her. “Rose?” He offered a weak smile. “Long time no see.”

“I’ve got you. Doctor. Doctor? Don’t pass out on me now, Doctor. We need to get you to hospital.”

“No, no hospital. I’m fine. No internal bleeding, just surface damage. I just need…” he slowly waved his hand around his face, indicating a constellation of cuts and bruises (and inadvertently showing the damage to his hand and fingers as well).

“Fine. Stubborn git. Let’s get you inside.”

She helped him up and through the door, and into the bathroom. She sat him on the edge of the tub, leaning up against the wall for support, while she slowly and methodically cleaned his wounds.

“Are you going to tell me what happened?”

“It’s too late. It doesn’t matter anyway.”

Rose rolled her eyes and checked him over, confident that she’d seen to the worst of his injuries. “All right. Let’s get you settled then. We’ll talk in the morning.”

Knowing he’d never fit comfortably on her long sofa, she led him to her bed, settling him in and sitting against the headboard, cradling his head so she could apply ice to the bruising around his eye.

Her concerns about Jack momentarily pushed aside, Rose smoothed the Doctor’s hair back from his face and let out a sigh. She adjusted the ice, shifted a pillow behind her back, and drifted off, the Doctor snoring softly in her lap.


	6. Part 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The day of Donna’s wedding has finally arrived, and with it, the conclusion of our tale!

Rose woke alone, to a silent flat…too silent for the Doctor to be anywhere nearby. She stretched, turned, and buried her head into her pillow - her surprisingly loud and crinkly pillow.

There, sprawled in his ‘my handwriting’s so bad I should have been a proper Doctor’ script, was a note. “Thanks for last night. See you at the wedding? -D”

Rose groaned. The wedding was  _today_. And Jack was…well, she clearly wasn’t going with Jack. She didn’t know what had gotten into him the night before - why he’d seemed so insistent on hurting her, on walking away, on kissing that girl…but she wasn’t going to let him do it again. And she damn sure wasn’t going to let him ruin Donna’s wedding.

Shielding herself in the desire to protect her friend, Rose grabbed her phone and dialed Donna’s number.

—

“So he just…walked away? Didn’t give you any reason? Had nothing to say for himself?”

“He seemed like an entirely different person, Donna. Like someone else was wearing his face. Anyway. I’m fine. I just wanted to let you know, in case he tries to start something. I won’t have whatever’s going on with him, between us, to ruin your wedding day.”

“Rose, that’s sweet, but I promise you,  _nothing_  can ruin this day. I have Lee and a big stinking party. It’s going to be perfect. Listen, I’m worried about you, though. Are you sure you’re okay? I know you were really falling for him.”

“I’m fine, Donna. Really. Listen, I need to get ready - and if I do, then you  _really_ do. See you when you’re an old married woman, okay?”

Donna could hear Rose’s voice thickening - a sure sign of the tears about to flow - but Rose disconnected the call before Donna could say anything. And, frankly, Rose was right - Donna  _did_  need to get ready. But there was one thing she could do. Retrieving her phone from her pocket once more, Donna paused for a moment of thanks (pockets! in a wedding dress!) and dialed.

—

“I don’t know what she told you, Donna, but I don’t need checking up on,” he said, answering in mid-stream and continuing like he was going to run out of breath. “I’m fine. I might be a little bruised and battered, but they can touch that up now, right? Ooh! Contused. Bruised and contused. Anyway, touch ups. In the photos, I mean. If it’s an extra expense, I can pay for it, I swear. Now, Donna, what do you think - stripes or swirls? Are swirls better for pictures? I never can tell. Or roses, maybe? Nah, a little too on the nose. Swirls, then?”

“I know I’m going to regret this,” sighed Donna when she could finally work a word in, “but WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?”

“The fight. Altercation. Tussle, even. With Owen. Last night. Rose patched me up, held me until I slept. She didn’t tell you?”

Donna shook her head. “The two of you, I swear. Can’t have a drama-free night between you.”

“What? The two of who? Donna, you’re not making sense.”

“You and Rose. Did she tell you what happened last night, apparently while you were off proving something with your fists?”

She took the silence on the other end of the line as a “no” and relayed the details as quickly and succinctly as she could.

“I knew it, Donna. I knew something like this would happen. But she didn’t listen. You didn’t listen. None of you listened! First Owen, then this…it’s not fair! It’s just not fair. They’re breaking her, Donna, and I can’t watch that happen anymore. I can’t. Because every time they break her, they break me too.”

“Doctor, right now, she needs saving more than you. You love her? Then go to her. Be her friend, or be more. But use those emotions for something other than whinging, okay? Put on that ridiculous suit of yours, and pick a tie, and go to her.”

“But Donna, I—”

“Shut it, spaceman. I’ve got to go get married.”

—

Determined to enter with a smile on her face, but self-conscious about attending alone (and a potential encounter with Jack), Rose stood outside the reception hall and chewed on her lip. “I can do this,” she thought. “I can do this for Donna.”

As she reached for the door handle, a wheezy, unmistakable noise filled the air. She turned her head to see the Doctor, leaning on the horn in his tiny blue car, practically colliding with the curb as he pulled to a stop. “Rose! Rose, wait!”

Leaving his car parked haphazardly on the edge of the road, he ran to her. “Oh, Rose. Good. I…I was hoping I’d catch you.”

She smiled. “A bow tie, Doctor? Really?”

“What? Bow ties are cool. Besides, I thought the tux was appropriate. And look - still me!” he said, pointing at his Converse-clad feet with a grin. Rose rolled her eyes as he raised his keys over his shoulder and hit the remote lock button for his car. (She never did understand why he installed such a ridiculous feature for an old beat-up car that no one would ever look at twice.)

“Shall we, Rose Tyler?”

With a tiny nod, they reached for each other’s hand and headed inside.

—

Inside the reception hall, Jack leaned his elbow on the table and tried to make conversation with Martha. He even tried a bit of flirting - it was his default setting, after all. But nothing worked to improve his mood. If he could just find Donna and pass along his congratulations, he could leave before his mood ruined everyone else’s night.

And then he saw Rose. Walking in with a smile, on the arm of the Doctor…and that sick feeling in the pit of his gut started all over again. He stood quickly, a heavy cloud of anger, sadness, and resignation forming over his eyes.

Martha noticed his face before he could walk away, and caught his arm. “Jack? What’s wrong? You look like someone’s been kicking your puppy or something.” It wasn’t until she got eye to eye with him that she saw it: the set of his jaw, the slump of his shoulders, the tension in his limbs, and the line of his gaze. “Oh, Jack. Has someone stolen your bird’s nest?”

The strangeness of her statement caught him off-guard. “My what?”

Martha laughed. “It’s Shakespeare, Jack. Never mind that. You’re clearly jealous of Rose being here with someone else. And I know you two hit it off really well the other night - so what’s going on?”

Jack sank into his seat, took a long sip from his drink, and paused, unsure where to start. “She’s not who I thought she was, Martha. I thought I could really fall for her, and it turns out it was nothing but lies. If Owen hadn’t been around to set me straight…anyway. It’s over. It’s done.”

The hair on the back of Martha’s neck stood up at the mention of Owen’s name. A pretty girl who’s suddenly not who she says she is? And somehow Owen’s involved? She scooted her chair closer to Jack’s, laid her hand gently on his knee, and asked him to start at the beginning.

—

The Doctor took it all in at once - the swell of horns, lyrics that didn’t quite match the music, balloons, flowers, a mirror ball, and even some out-of-place evergreens - and whistled low. “Donna really went all out, didn’t she?”

“Well, you only get married once…” Rose trailed off as she looked around the room.

“I was at her first wedding, actually. Lovely Christmas affair. Shame about the groom - something about a spider bite?” Rose blinked. “Right. Um. No talking about past weddings at a current one. Dancing! Let’s dance!”

He didn’t wait for a response, but pulled her onto the dance floor and into his arms. “This is lovely, eh? Both of us a little bruised and battered in our own way, but finally….together.” The Doctor sighed and pulled her closer to him. He had just begun to rub tiny circles in the small of her back with his thumb when he felt her stiffen.

“Wait. Bruised and battered? What exactly is that supposed to mean? Is this a pity date?  _What did Donna tell you_?” Rose pushed herself from his embrace and waited for his answer. Dissatisfied with his silent, gaping mouth, she turned to walk away, but he grabbed her gently around the waist and stepped toward her.

“Rose.” She felt, rather than heard, her name whispered in her ear. “Please. Turn around.” She turned in his arms, her eyes warning him not to babble, or make a sarcastic crack, or do anything but tell her the simple truth.

“Yes, Donna told me what happened with Jack. But we are…” he tried to pause to gather the courage to tell her how much she meant to him, but faltered when he felt her start to pull away again. “We’re friends, yeah? The best of friends. When I needed someone last night, you took care of me, right? And plenty of times before that, too. I know you’re hurting because of what happened with Jack. And I don’t want you to be alone right now, especially not here. This is me, taking care of you for a change. Now come here.”

He gathered her into a hug and felt her tears begin to fall, wetness seeping through the spot where her face was pressed tightly to his coat. He was about to guide them to a table, maybe get her a nice cup of tea, when he felt a hand tap on his shoulder. “May I cut in?”

The Doctor glared at the intruder. “Only if you buy me a drink first.”

Rose lifted her head to see what was going on and saw Jack, waiting patiently for an answer. She wiped her eyes and stepped out of the Doctor’s embrace. “It’s okay, Doctor. Give us a minute, yeah?”

The Doctor gave a tight nod and headed off to find the bar.

The music changed to something slow and sweet, but Rose kept her distance as she stepped into Jack’s arms. “What do you want, Jack? This isn’t the time or the place for games.”

He meant to start slowly. He meant to ask questions. But in the end, the entire story came out in a stream of consciousness babble that would give the Doctor a run for his money. The lies that Owen fed him. How he had his doubts, but seeing Rose and Shareen together at the club made him believe. How Martha set him straight and made him begin to see reason.

“So let me get this straight. Rather than ask me my side of the story - rather than do something, anything, to find out the truth, you just walked away? How can you think that’s okay?”

“I don’t, Rose. I don’t. And I’m sorry. This is me, finding out the truth. This is me, trying to make amends. I’m falling in love with you, Rose, and I don’t want to lose you.”

—-

From his spot at the bar, the Doctor watched closely, carefully, ready to jump in at any moment. And so he watched as they argued, as Rose pulled away. He saw the moment the tension began to fade, the moment she stepped just a little bit closer into his arms. And he saw, with perfect clarity, the moment Rose leaned up and kissed Jack, quickly pulling away to rest her head on his chest. He didn’t miss a single movement of her posture relaxing, saw every sway of every beat to that stupid sappy song. Didn’t miss anything until Donna’s hand was on his shoulder, begging him to turn away.

“I’m sorry, Doctor. I really am. I know how much you care for her.”

“He’s just going to hurt her again, Donna.”

“Maybe. But you know what? You can’t put her on a shelf behind glass to keep her safe. She’s not a collectible doll, or some goddess on a pedestal for you to worship on special days. She’s a human woman, a young one at that, and she needs to make her own mistakes.”

“Now go on,” Donna gestured in the direction of the dance floor. “Why not go try to make some mistakes of your own?”

The Doctor looked at the woman he loved, smiling in someone else’s arms. He looked at Donna and her eyes full of pity. Finally, he looked down at his very manly cocktail (no matter what the bartender said) in his manly, hairy hand. Conceding that just this once, maybe Donna was right, he turned and headed to the dance floor.


End file.
